Ellen Quillen, PhD

Ellen Quillen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Molecular Medicine and member of the Center for Precision Medicine. She was trained as a statistical and population geneticist receiving her BS from the University of Kansas and PhD from Penn State. She completed her postdoctoral training at Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the Southwest National Primate Center in San Antonio, focusing on statistical genomics and gene expression in extended pedigrees of humans and non-human primates. Her past work has encompassed a wide range of traits including both evolutionary genetics and disease-focused work. Dr. Quillen’s current research applies integrated, multi-omic analyses to study the biology of aging with a particular emphasis on the musculoskeletal system.  Ongoing studies focus on the biological basis of multi-system resilience to diseases of aging including work in radiation-exposed macaques, a comparative study across non-human primate species, and longitudinal multi-omic analysis of cognitive and physical decline in humans participating in decades-long clinical trials. Ultimately, the goal of the Quillen Lab is to understand the molecular and physiological basis of resilience to intrinsic and extrinsic challenges as it manifests across tissues and species to identify global and disease-specific mechanisms for prevention and intervention that will enhance the healthspan.